The System of Symbols Tarot book
The System of Symbols
A practical way to understand Tarot
In this book Toni Allen unlocks the secrets of Tarot so that everyone can understand it. It explains why the cards have the interpretations they have and shows how anyone can learn to work with them.
The book explains not only what the cards mean, but why they have those meanings. It is intended to make the mystery of Tarot easier to understand and to help readers work with the cards for themselves.
Learn the system
Why the cards work together
In a Tarot reading every card changes according to what is next to it. To understand the depth of a spread, it helps to know the meanings behind each number, symbol and element.
Toni draws on more than 20 years of Tarot reading and teaching. Rather than relying only on illustrated meanings, the book explores the underlying patterns of the cards, the four suits and the numbers so that your own intuition can develop with confidence.
Many students begin with an illustrated Waite-style pack and learn individual meanings by rote. The book takes a different approach: it explains the relationships between the numbers, suits and Major Arcana so that a spread can be read as a connected pattern.
Stripping Tarot back to the basic images of swords, batons, cups and coins makes the rhythm of a spread easier to see: which numbers repeat, which suit is missing, and how the pattern moves from one card to the next.
For students of Tarot
A complete reference for readings
For the serious student of Tarot, the book includes the 22 Major Arcana, the 56 Minor Arcana and full Tarot reversals. It is designed to support both learning and practical readings, with a clear system that can be used as a reference.
The writings of Aleister Crowley are also an important part of Tarot history. Toni recommends The Book of Thoth for readers who want to explore that tradition further.
Inside the book
A thorough guide to Tarot symbolism
The System of Symbols explains what each number means, the essence of each suit and its association with the Major Arcana. Each card is described through its symbolic meaning, how it can appear in a reading, and examples from real readings and client feedback.
The book also includes Tarot keywords for quick reference and associations with Bach Flower remedies, offering a way to connect the cards with practical help and healing.
It is available as a 416-page printed book or e-book, with black-and-white images throughout showing Toni’s own Tarot designs. The designs can also be viewed in full colour at Tarot Astrology.
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Read what others have said
Read feedback about The System of Symbols, Toni’s Tarot work and personal readings.
Testimonials and book reviewsLearn with Toni
Tarot workshops and the Tarot club
Toni also runs one-day Tarot workshops and a Tarot club for people in the Guildford and Farnham area. Workshops explore a particular aspect of Tarot through practical and interactive work, while the club gives like-minded people an opportunity to meet and practise together.
To ask about future workshops or join the mailing list, please contact Toni about a reading or enquiry.